Friday, 28 November 2014

set your boxes to tape this Saturday 29th November,
8:00pm Channel 4 - Tony Robinson. Details hereTony Robinson hikes up from Lyme Regis on Dorset's Jurassic Coast to the
Somerset Levels in the footsteps of a ragtag rebel army led by the
young Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II.

'Apart from its general charm, the picture is most important in that it
clearly portrays the uniforms worn by officers and privates of the
Grenadier Companies of the Coldstream Guards in the early 18th century.'

Marcellus Laroon, Painting of three children, probably of the Keppel family. From here'

Dear Ralphus, I
am taking the liberty of contacting you with a question, encouraged by
you excellent blog, yet understand if this is a bit off topic. But -
given you should
have the time and interest, I ask; Do
you have any idea about the uniform worn by the horsemen in this
picture? Or any other comments on the image? I have bought the painting
at an auction in
Denmark, and it is signed 'Mevlen'. One possibility is the Flemish
painter Adam Frans van der Meulen (1632-1690).
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Frans_van_der_Meulen

Knowing AF Meulen's affiliation with Louis XIV, I am trying to
figure out the uniforms of the horsemen in order to place the scene more
precisely in history. Now, he did paint extensively on battle scenes,
but also things like this, of encounters (and
ambushes) in the woods and on roads. (I am not quite sure what the men
on the ground are representing, though, but there seems to be a story
being reflected).

Any comments or ideas are welcome - from my initial research I realise
that French uniforms weren't fully standardised before the end of the
17th century. From other images the furthest I could get was that they
resembled the attire of French musketeers a bit,
yet there are no guns carried, as far as I can see. The red trousers
with the ornaments do look like something someone with a higher standing
might be wearing (officers, members of court??), but maybe the cavalry
as such had a fairly high standing?

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Régiment
Irlandois de Dillon The Régiment Irlandois de Dillon – Dillon’s to our
friends – is a small and friendly group recreating part of the French
Armys’ Irish Brigade of the period 1735-1748. Members portray both
soldiers and civilian camp followers, to give a full flavour of life in
the mid eighteenth century. Having begun in 2008 with quite literally four men and a
dog, we are now a thriving society with members from throughout the UK
and beyond.…

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Most wargaming titles concentrate on the more popular periods of
history, such as the Napoleonic Wars and the Second World War. In this
book, Martin Hackett brings his extensive wargaming experience and
historical knowledge to the Jacobite Wars of the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries, taking us from the Glorious Rebellion of 1685
until 1746, a period of history with much less coverage in wargaming
terms. He takes us on a tour of all the relevant sites and gives us the
historical facts, together with a comprehensive set of wargame rules, to
allow realistic Jacobite wargames to be recreated on any scale and with
any relevant figures. Profusely illustrated in colour and black and
white, Martin begins with the Glorious Revolution and takes us through
all the Jacobite battles of the period, from Killiecrankie up to the
final battle on Culloden Moor. Martin Hackett, author of Lost
Battlefields of Britain and avid wargamer, tells the story of this
tumultuous time in British history, and shows us how to play realistic
wargames in this period.

Monday, 10 November 2014

Saturday, 8 November 2014

SUMMERFIELD (Stephen) PRUSSIAN FUSILIERS OF THE WAR OF SUCCESSION AND THE SEVEN YEARS WAR: UNIFORMS, ORGANISATION AND EQUIPMENT.
224pp., colour illustrations throughout. 2014. As this catalogue goes
to press we are just completing the editing of this book ahead of time.
Following Stephen’s acclaimed study of Prussian Musketeer uniforms (now
out of print awaiting a revised edition) he turns his attention to the
stunning uniforms used by the Fusilier regiments, the regiments being
classified by the system devised by Hans Bleckwenn. This is the most
detailed study to date, meticulously researched to provide a full
service history for each regiment plus the most detailed study of their
uniform, the fusilier caps, officer’s uniforms & lace, musicians
uniforms & flags. Essential, terrific. £37.50